The Red Herring
by BeastMedley
Summary: Kurosaki Ichigo, a skilled hitman, gets into trouble when raven-haired aspiring lawyer, Kuchiki Rukia, sticks her nose out where it doesn't belong. Now the two are on the run together, fighting for survival in Nihon. What will happen when things go south?
1. Unexpected

**Heya guys. So this is my first fanfic, and I just wanna say that even though I rated it Mature, I would consider it Teen. I did it cuz there will be coarse language and violence seen throughout the story (don't know about sexual scenes yet X3). Anywho, I'm not the type to say that I really want reviews (which equal luv) but they are always appreciated. I might at one point hold a poll (if people really get into the story) to see what might happen to some charries at the end, but who knows. We'll just hafta wait and see, so enjoy! (P.S. sorry if anybody is insulted by the constant bad language, but you have been warned~ :3 oh, and I hope you guys enjoy the Japanese I stuck in 8B)**

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It was something that hadn't been discussed, and it had become a major problem. The requirements of the contract were now violated, meaning that the job had become a liability. Both men looked at each other from across the room, each with a gun. The one with the sunglasses spoke first. "The hell were you thinking?"

"I told you, I was doing the job, nothing more." The man with the strange orange hair was now speaking, his face displaying annoyance.

"Like hell you were. You fucked the whole thing up." Taking off his sunglasses, the red-head stuffed them in an inside jacket pocket. He looked almost as if he was snarling. "You get hired, and then you pull this? Top quality killer my ass." He then spat in disgust, obviously pissed with the situation.

"He failed to mention that there would be a-"

"So what if he didn't tell ya? Kill the mark, kill the witnesses. That's what you're supposta do. You know better than anyone that if you go soft, you're gonna get killed."

"I don't kill people that don't need to be killed." The orange-haired man was becoming impatient, his index finger beginning to tap the gun in his right hand. "You should know that by now, Renji."

"You goddamn son of a bitch. You're talking about knowing each other when you're getting fucking paid to kill some rich shit? The cops could be down on us in seconds, and here you are bitching." Abarai Renji was higher up in the organization, and although he and Kurosaki Ichigo were considered friends, the hostility between them at the moment was getting bad.

"The fuck did you want me to do Renji, huh? Kill that girl in cold blood?"

"Yeah. It's your job, so you fucking doing it."

"You bastard. We may be hitmen, but we still have morals. Unless doing this job for so long has got you not knowing right from wrong anymore."

"Dear God, this bullshit again? What are you, the next Sigmund Freud?"

"I'm surprised you even know who that is." Renji glared at Ichigo, frustrated that the orange-haired man always had the guts to fight back and forth with him.

"Ichigo, you need to finish the job. Cuz of the kid, you didn't even kill the mark. We're in deep shit here, so get it done." Ichigo stuck his gun partly under his belt before shoving his hands into his pockets, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at one of the dirty cement walls surrounding them.

"…they saw your face didn't they? Fuck. This is what happens when you fuck up! Dammit it all Ichigo." Renji growled before turning his body to his right and kicking one of the walls. Ichigo sighed quietly before looking up at Renji.

"…I'll get it done." Renji turned his head to look back at Ichigo, his eyes squinted.

"You know the organization will get rid of you if they have to." The best way the organization was guaranteed 100% immunity, was that everything linking a hitman back to them could be destroyed, including the hitman himself.

"I know…can you give me an hour?" Renji sighed before rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, but any longer than that and I'll hafta report you as a failure." Ichigo nodded, to which Renji gave a small scoff. Turning on his heels, Renji left the poorly lit room, leaving Ichigo with only an hour left to get the job done. The orange-head just had to do it, there was no way he couldn't. He didn't want to be terminated, yet he didn't want to kill an innocent girl. Pulling out and cocking his semi-automatic handgun, Ichigo had a new determined look in his eyes. Renji was right. When shit happens, you gotta deal and keep moving forward. Ichigo had stopped believing in God a long time ago.

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Kuchiki Rukia was sitting in the hallway outside her older brother's office. She was deep in thought, the steam rising from her cup of tea not even fazing her as it drifted towards the mansion's ceiling. It happened so fast that she wasn't even entirely sure what had happened. Two hours earlier, her brother, Kuchiki Byakuya, was sitting in his office working when she knocked on the door. "Enter."

Rukia slowly opened the door and stuck her head into the office, giving Byakuya a small smile. "You wanted to see me, Ni-sama?"

"Rukia…we need to talk about what you're planning to do after you graduate." Rukia frowned as she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"With all due respect, Ni-sama, you know that once I get my LLB ((Bachelor of Laws)) I'm going to graduate school in America." Byakuya folded his hands on his desk as he watched his younger sister, her eyes unwavering.

"You have other responsibilities here, Rukia, and you must see to them first."

"Ni-sama! Onegai, I want to-" Rukia stepped forward, trying to reason with Byakuya.

"Rukia, before you were accepted into the university we discussed that you would be graduating in four years time with an MBA ((Master of Business Administration)), however, you explicitly went against my wishes and declared your major in law at the end of your second year." Rukia flinched at his harsh tone and comment. It was true, Kuchiki Rukia was supposed to take over the Kuchiki Corporation, but that wasn't where her passion lay. She wanted to become a lawyer.

"I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, Ni-sama, but I-"

"Rukia," Byakuya's voice was a bit louder than before, causing Rukia's eyes to grow wide. Byakuya was never one to raise his voice. Rising from his chair, the older man walked around his desk towards Rukia. His kimono fluttered as if a wind was passing through the room. It was but his graceful movements, which captivated many eyes including Rukia's. "It's not that you hurt my feelings, but that you refused to comply to my request."

Rukia thought she saw pain in Byakuya's eyes, and in turn, it pained her, but she quickly remembered her goal. "Ni-sama, I beg of you, please let me become a lawyer. Let me reach my dream."

Byakuya sighed quietly as he turned around and went back to his seat. Sitting down with his eyes closed, his grayish eyes then opened to see Rukia's body go rigid. "We will discuss this later." Byakuya proceeded to pick up a pen and focused on some papers in front of him. Rukia's mouth hung open for a few seconds before she closed it and walked briskly out of her brother's office. She was too mad to excuse herself properly from his presence.

Closing the door somewhat loudly behind her, Rukia rested her back on the office door, her eyes looking at the floor. Just like that? She was going to give up, just like that? It was wrong of her to say anymore, but she had to. She just couldn't give up her dream. Breathing in deeply, Rukia turned around and opened the door suddenly.

"Ni-sama I-" She was stopped mid-sentence when the shot was fired. Byakuya clutched his chest as he collapsed onto his desk. "Ni-sama!" Rukia ran to his side and looked at the wound. Weakly, Byakuya tried to reassure her that he would be fine, but he was losing quite a lot of blood. A servant rushed into the room after hearing the noise and ran over to the two Kuchikis.

"Get an ambulance here right away and call the police." After the servant nodded and hurried to the phone outside the office, Rukia's face became more worried as she tried to stop the blood flowing out of Byakuya's chest. She didn't want to be left alone.

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Approximately two hours ago, Kurosaki Ichigo was outside in the courtyard of the Kuchiki Mansion. He easily got past security and sat hidden behind a large bush, over fifteen feet away from the window of Kuchiki Byakuya's office. Setting up his sniper rifle, Ichigo looked through the scope at his mark. No matter what 'good' things he had done in his life, this man was bad, and so he was the man Ichigo was sent to kill.

Kurosaki Ichigo is a contract killer, and one of the best. His alias is Zangetsu, which translates out to "slaying moon." He is a weapons expert as well as an expert in hand-to-hand combat. He has never failed in killing his mark, and has never been a suspect in any of his killings.

Waiting for the moment to kill Kuchiki Byakuya, Ichigo reviewed in his head the bit of information he had on the man. He was the head of the famous Kuchiki Corp, and was target for elimination because of his ties to underground crime. Without a doubt he was a great businessman. Ready to take out his mark, Ichigo was interrupted by a knock on Byakuya's office door. Cursing under his breath, Ichigo lowered the rifle.

Earlier he had set up a microphone underneath the window, during the day when nobody was around. Adjusting his earpiece, Ichigo listened to their conversation. Damn girl just had to get in the way. Ichigo wasn't the type of guy to go around killing everybody, especially if he didn't need to. His target was Byakuya, nobody else; although it would have been nice if the man who hired Ichigo mentioned this girl Rukia. Once she left the room, Ichigo knew that it was his chance. Byakuya was so absorbed with his work that he wouldn't notice a thing.

Looking through his scope, his rifle focused on Byakuya, Ichigo had his finger on the trigger, ready to shoot. Aimed at Byakuya's neck, Ichigo was about to pull the trigger when Rukia burst back into the room. Her voice suddenly in his ear, Ichigo flinched and shot the rifle, the bullet hitting Byakuya square in the chest instead of his neck. Ichigo cursed loudly as he took apart the rifle and put it back in its case. Checking to make sure he was in the clear, Ichigo darted out from behind the bush towards his exit. Dodging in and out of shrubbery, Ichigo could have sworn that a pair of eyes saw him disappear into the night.

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"Oi, Kuchiki, daijoubu ka?" Rukia looked up and met the eyes of her brother's assistant and friend, Shiba Kaien. Rukia's frown disappeared into a relieved smile as Kaien beamed down at her as usual. Putting her cold tea on the bench beside her, Rukia stood up. She was very glad to see Kaien, and knew exactly what she needed to do. "Kaien, we need to get to the hospital, onegai, Ni-sama is-"

"Ah, shitteru yo, Kuchiki. Ikuze sa." Rukia again sighed in relief, still smiling at Kaien. Even if he was just around, Rukia felt happier. It was Kaien's gift really, he always knew how to bring the best out of people. As they walked along the long corridor to the front door, Kaien snuck a look at Rukia. He felt responsible for her, especially now that Byakuya was severely injured. She was like a little sister to him, but some would have thought that they were in love. Which was impossible, since Kaien was married to a woman he felt was his true love.

"He's out of surgery now, I checked in with the hospital." Rukia turned her head to look up at Kaien, who looked at her out of the corner of his eye, his hands in his pockets. He was dressed in casual clothes, since it was late at night and he had long since left the office that afternoon. Rukia on the other hand was in a formal looking white and blue dress. Byakuya was the type that demanded some level of formality even in the comfort of his own home.

"So he's all right?" Kaien nodded, to which Rukia gave one more sigh of relief.

"For now at least; the bullet almost hit his left lung." Rukia bit her lip as they neared the front door. She had studied crime for almost four years, yet, never before had it been right in her own backyard. She was scared. Scared that Byakuya might die, and scared that…that man might come back. She wasn't certain, but she could have sworn a figure ran off from the courtyard when she just happened to look out the window. An accidental bullet from a drive-by shooting just wasn't possible, so this seemed to be the only answer…an assassination. Servants and policemen had checked the courtyard, but no sign of anyone having been there was found. Also, Rukia didn't mention she had seen anyone, even though the police had asked her. She didn't know why at the time, and she still wasn't entirely sure now why she hadn't said anything.

A servant opened the door for Rukia and Kaien, to which both of them gave a nod of acknowledgment. Walking a bit ahead of Rukia, Kaien went over to his silver sports car. It was sleek yet slightly bigger than most sports cars, definitely a cool ride. As the two got into the vehicle, Kaien put his keys into the ignition and started up the engine. Driving off, Rukia listlessly looked off into the dark landscape.

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**GASP! OH THE DRAMA! Lulz, well, I hope people liked the first chappie. Sorry, I know it's a bit dry and slow, but it'll get better, trust me. I got a lot written down and there's more ta come. Until next time! :D**

** ~BeastMedley~**

**BTW, tell me if you see any grammar mistakes. I won't get all up in your grill for it, I'll just give you a cookie. I have a grammar police badge, so do not be ashamed if you see that I made a really silly mistake somewhere. Arigato~**

TEH JAPANESE WORD LIST:

ni-sama – formal way of saying older brother (the suffix _–sama_ means the person being mentioned, in this case Byakuya, is greatly respected by Rukia)

onegai – please

oi – yo or hey

daijoubu ka? – are you all right?

shitteru yo – I understand or I know

ikuze sa – let's go

arigato – thanks


	2. Fear

**So...apparently people like the fic so far, which is good cuz I wasn't sure what reception it would get. You guys have probably noticed, but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. I'm also trying not to have Kubo Tite's charries be too OOC. If someone sees a loophole, please tell me. I came across a bunch when writing this, but I've gone back and corrected them (we can only hope that I didn't miss any xAx). Hope y'all enjoy this (you avid fanfiction readers you x3)!**

**I forgot this in the first chapter, but… **I don't own any of Kubo Tite's characters or storyline** (but if I did~ Ichigo and Rukia would have done it chapters ago XD)**

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In the hospital, Rukia sat by Byakuya's bed as she watched his sleeping form, her eyes full of worry. Kaien came in with two cups of coffee, handing one to Rukia before going to sit down in a chair in the corner of the room. Kaien took a sip as he watched her. Instead of drinking, Rukia just held the steaming cup in her hands as she continued to watch over Byakuya. Kaien looked at the heart monitor. He hoped and knew that Byakuya would live, for Rukia's sake at least. Soon a nurse came in and asked Kaien, since he was not a family member, to leave because visiting hours were long over. Offering to take Rukia back, the young woman said that she wouldn't mind staying there overnight. When the nurse and Kaien left the room, Rukia took a sip of her coffee. It was still warm and helped calm her nerves down a bit. Looking at her brother sadly, Rukia didn't even hear the door of the room opening.

Kurosaki Ichigo closed the door softly as he watched Rukia carefully, a bouquet of flowers behind his back. It was then that Rukia quickly looked up, her eyes somewhat alarmed by his sudden appearance. He reassured her that it was okay with a smile, before taking a few steps forward and holding out the flowers. "I'm from your brother's corporation. I was recently hired to work in his office. My name is Nakamura Jin." Walking up to the small table at the end of the bed, Ichigo placed the flowers down. Rukia watched him the whole time with firm eyes.

"…how did you know my brother was at the hospital?" She had never met or heard about this man before in her life. She wanted to be certain about his story. It took a lot to get Rukia to trust you.

"Shiba-san called me. I have worked closely with both of them in the past few days and Kuchiki-san helped me get settled into my new office. So how could I not come by and visit to make sure he was okay?" Ichigo gave a warm smile, making sure to sell the lie, but it seemed that Rukia wasn't fully convinced. As she continued to observe the man, the more certain she felt that he wasn't the person he claimed to be. She had a gut feeling, that this man, this 'Nakamura Jin'...was the man who had tried to kill her brother. When the assassin was running off into the night, Rukia could have sworn that she had seen a flash of orange.

"…what do you do in my brother's office?"

"Mostly answer the phone, head up the management team, stuff like that. I'm pretty new to the job, so I couldn't give you the full details…" Rukia squinted her eyes, absolutely sure that this man didn't work in her brother's office. She knew everyone that worked there, and never before had she heard of this man. Plus she usually talked to Kaien about happenings in the office. He would have certainly mentioned this guy days ago.

Placing her coffee down on the nightstand, she stood up and walked over to Ichigo, her face determined to find out the truth. Standing more than a foot away from the orange-haired man, Rukia's hands were clenched into fists at her sides. What should she do? He was probably armed and knew other ways to kill people without a weapon. Should she scream? Run to the door and run down the hallway to the nurses' station? Rukia could see that this man was toned and athletic looking. He could easily stop her.

Behind his soft looking-eyes Ichigo was glaring. This kid knew something was up. His damn lie didn't work, and now he would have to kill her quickly before she pulled some stunt. Sauntering up to Rukia, his hands in his pockets, Ichigo smirked down at her. He, without a doubt, could deal with this girl in seconds. But just how loud and fast could she scream?

"…who are you?" Rukia began to slowly back up, making sure to keep some distance between herself and the man. Her eyes quickly darted around for some kind of weapon, but none were to be seen.

"I already told you. I'm Nakamura Jin, and I work for your brother's company." Ichigo took one step after the other, noticing how his movement made Rukia back up even further. Soon, there would be nowhere for her to go.

"That's a lie and you and I both know it," Ichigo stopped suddenly which made Rukia gasp quietly in surprise. His eyes were angry and his eyebrows furrowed.

"So you figured it out. Kudos to you," Rukia glared up at Ichigo before turning her head quickly to look at her brother, his chest rising and falling slowly. Taking what looked to be a defensive stance, Rukia readied herself for an attack. Ichigo lifted an eyebrow in surprise.

"Heh, what are you doing midget? You gonna to fight me?" His mocking tone made Rukia want to punch him in the face.

"If I have to, yes."

"I must admit…you got guts. But you can't beat me, _Rukia_." Rukia clenched her teeth in anger. How dare this man use her first name so nonchalantly!

"I won't let you kill my brother."

"Look kid, I don't have a choice. It's my job so I gotta do it."

"What do you mean your job?"

"I'm a contract killer. He's my target. Doesn't matter what he did or who he is. He's my mark, and I hafta kill him. And if you didn't get in the way, I wouldn't have to kill you too." Right then Rukia made her move. She abruptly darted forward to run past Ichigo to the door, but he caught her just as she rushed by him. Flailing, Rukia grunted, trying to wriggle free of his grip. He had one arm around her waist, holding her tight to his torso. The other arm was pinning her shoulders down, preventing Rukia's arms from moving too much.

"Let me go you bastard!" Ichigo then squeezed harder and Rukia stopped moving all together. She felt like her bones would be crushed, the man was too strong. Clenching her teeth, Rukia closed her eyes. She wanted the pain to end and fast. Her feet were no longer touching the ground as Ichigo held onto her, mostly because he was over six feet and she was just above five.

"Make any more moves, and I'll kill you faster than you can scream your brother's name." Opening her eyes, Rukia let her body go loose, to which Ichigo lessened his grip a bit. Glad that it was no longer painful, Rukia lifted her head up, trying to get a glimpse of her captor's face. Ichigo scoffed as he looked at her 'belligerent' expression. He had to admit…the girl seemed kind of cute angry.

"Okay midget. You and I know both know how this is gonna go down." Rukia's eyes didn't waver one bit as Ichigo stated the obvious. She was going to die, and it most likely wouldn't be in the hospital. She suddenly wished that guards were put outside the room, but since none of the policemen thought it was necessary, Rukia and Byakuya were left unprotected. "I'm going to kill your brother, and then we're going to leave this room, and we're going to do so silently. We'll make it look like I'm comforting you and taking you home. You will **not** say a word to anyone. Make one gesture, and things will go from bad to worse."

Rukia could tell that the man was being serious, but she had to do something. She couldn't let her older brother, her only family left be killed in front of her eyes. But what could she do? She was driven into a corner, but did she even have the power to bite?

Just then the door slowly opened. Ichigo quickly let go of Rukia, and once her feet touched the floor, he snaked both of his arms around her waist. She didn't even have time to react as Kaien stepped into the room. He had been worried about leaving Rukia there all alone. "Hey, Kuchiki, I was on my way home when I just couldn't-" Kaien stopped and his facial expression turned from pleasant to surprised. In front of him, Rukia stood with a man holding onto her intimately. Ichigo smiled at Kaien while Rukia's expression was blank. She had had very little time to hide her fear.

"Who…who is this Kuchiki?" Kaien's feelings could have been mistaken for annoyed or angry as his eyebrows wrinkled while staring at the pair. Rukia would have certainly mentioned a boyfriend or a boy she felt close to, but she had mentioned neither…so…who was this man?

"I'm a close friend of Rukia's. The name is Nakamura Jin." Rukia wanted to scream at Kaien that it was a lie, but Ichigo squeezed her to warn her not to. Rukia then quickly closed her mouth and stared at Kaien, hoping that he would leave before he got threatened with his life as well. Kaien was, like Rukia, somewhat unconvinced of Ichigo's story, but Rukia soon reassured him that it was okay.

"Jin is a good friend, Kaien-san. He's one of the lawyers I talked to for my senior project." To this Kaien gave a look of understanding before nodding, his usual smile returning to his face.

"Ah, of course, of course. Sorry if I seemed a little forward there Nakamura-san." Rukia gave a small smile and Ichigo scoffed.

"No worries Shiba-san." Kaien looked slightly amazed.

"Eh, I didn't even introduce myself, yet you knew my name." Rukia looked up at Ichigo before he gave a nervous laugh. Shit, he had managed to fuck up again, and he needed to cover his ass, and fast.

"Rukia has told me a lot about you, so I assumed that you were Shiba Kaien." Kaien gave a hearty laugh before scratching the back of his head.

"I guess I'm the only Kaien that Kuchiki knows." Kaien smiled before returning his hands to his pockets. "But still, you-" Kaien gave a sudden grunt as his eyes widened. Both Ichigo and Rukia were alarmed by the man's abrupt action.

"K-Kaien!" Rukia struggled against Ichigo's grip, however, he only held onto her even tighter. "L-Let go of me!" Ichigo wasn't glaring at Kaien but past him as he straightened up, keeping only one arm around Rukia's body. In a couple of seconds Kaien collapsed to the ground, blood on his lips. Rukia struggled as she tried to get to his side, but failed. There was a knife wound in his back. Quickly looking up, tears in her eyes, Rukia was greeted with a ferocious looking man with electric blue hair. He was wearing a pair of torn up jeans and a t-shirt, but what was even more noticeable than his hair was his sadistic grin. He toyed with his knife as he looked at the pair.

"Found yourself a pretty girl, eh Ichigo?"

"Grimmjow," Rukia stopped struggling and leaned her head back to look at him. So that was his real name...Ichigo.

"Sorry I had put a stop to yer fun, but I got some fun of my own ta do." Grimmjow grinned as he pointed his knife at Byakuya. Rukia immediately glowered at him, along with Ichigo. Grimmjow laughed as he kicked the door closed with the back of his foot. He then sauntered towards the pair, smirking at them with pleasure.

"…why are you here Grimmjow? It hasn't been an hour yet." With only a few inches between them, Grimmjow stopped in front of Ichigo and Rukia, his thumbs hooked in his pockets. He made sure to keep his knife visible.

"What can I say? Ya fucked up. So them pen-pushers sent me here ta make sure you got the job done." Ichigo clenched his jaw as Grimmjow's face lit up at the thought of what his own comment meant. Rukia, however, was lost in what was being said. She didn't understand the relationship between the two men. It was competitive. They weren't exactly friends nor were they enemies, but Grimmjow would do anything to top Ichigo. Since he fucked up, Grimmjow then had the chance to fulfill the order of killing Kurosaki Ichigo if he failed to kill the target. And currently, that's what Grimmjow saw, a failure.

"You bastard. You know you won't win."

"Maybe, maybe not," Grimmjow walked to the right of Ichigo and began to circle the orange- haired man and Rukia, his eyes raking over Rukia as if she were some kind of object. He then stopped in front of the pair once again. Unhooking his hands from his pockets, Grimmjow held his knife up; almost admiring the blade as he softly ran his finger along the edge. Rukia could feel Ichigo's body tense up behind her. "Doesn't mean I won't kill ya."

"Why would you though?" Both men were slightly surprised by the girl's question. Grimmjow snickered as Ichigo stared down at her, unsure of what to say.

"In our line of business girlie, you got the top dogs and you got the worker dogs. But there are better worker dogs than others. So Ichigo here, as dumb as he looks, is a top worker dog. One of the best. Me? I'm better than him, yet, he's apparently better than me." Ichigo slowly took in a deep breath to keep his calm. He didn't want to beat Grimmjow into a pulp just yet.

"So in other words, if you kill him, you'll get his place."

"Bingo. You're not just some sex doll after all." Rukia quickly reminded herself to keep herself under control because like Ichigo, this guy could kill her too.

"But isn't he your comrade? You can't just kill him off can you?" Grimmjow gave a look of disgust as Ichigo looked at the watch on his unoccupied arm.

"You serious? Me and him? Comrades? I may know the dumb bucket of shit, but I ain't his friend. As far as I'm concerned, he's an obstacle," Ichigo scowled at Grimmjow's snide comment and facial expression. "Yeah, an hour ain't up, but who's ta know? Since when do the dead speak?"

Rukia stared at Grimmjow in horror. Now it all made sense. It didn't matter if Ichigo had completed the job or not. Grimmjow planned on killing him from the start when he was given the order. He would kill Ichigo, become one of the best contract killers, and even score extra points for taking care of the targets. Rukia suddenly felt as if she was going to be sick. If Ichigo hadn't been holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground.

"So now you know my master plan," Grimmjow snickered as he walked towards Byakuya's bed, while Ichigo, along with Rukia, turned in his direction. It wasn't smart to keep your unguarded back facing your assailant. "Guess that means it's time for happy hour ta start." Looking down at the sleeping Byakua, Grimmjow's face went passive as his body came to a stop. Why do you ask? Well…there wasn't much fun in killing an injured or sleeping person. Grimmjow was the type who liked it when his food fought back.

Rukia, although her face no longer displayed her horror, was even more disturbed by what Grimmjow had just said. He simply enjoyed killing people, versus Ichigo, who apparently took no pleasure in murder. Looking down at Kaien to see if he was okay, Rukia verified with her eyes that he was still breathing, but obviously bleeding from his wound. Tentatively moving her head to watch Grimmjow, she was partially stunned by his change in expression. At that moment, Rukia was no longer certain if this sadistic human being would end her brother's life or not.

Ichigo, instead of worrying, was formulating possible outcomes of what might happen. The best solution was to run the fuck out of there. Grimmjow would most likely chase them down, but at least they could get a good head start. Yes…_they_; he couldn't just leave the girl. The brother had a chance, but the girl…leaving her would be the same as killing her in cold blood with his own two hands. Slowly, and quietly, taking step after step towards the door, Ichigo's eyes were trained on Grimmjow's still form. One false move, and the blue-headed panther would be on them in seconds.

"…where the fuck you going ya piece of shit?" Grimmjow snarled, his eyes unmoving. Ichigo immediately stopped and Rukia held her breath. They were both observing him, making sure that they could respond in time if Grimmjow decided to make his move. Glaring at the two out of the corner of his eye, Grimmjow watched them with an upturned lip. He thought that Ichigo would be at a lesser advantage with the kid, but knowing the orange-head, the guy could probably come up with a decent escape plan. Too bad today was not his day.

It seemed to Rukia that everyone could hear her heart beat. She wasn't just freaking out on the inside, she was terrified. Looking from Ichigo, to Kaien, and back to Grimmjow, she didn't know what would happen next. Would she be strangled? Beaten? Stabbed like Kaien? It took a second for Rukia to realize that they were screwed, but it took a few more seconds for her to realize that Ichigo was their only hope.

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**Okay folks, be honest when answering this question…who was upset when Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez died in Bleach? Seriously, I was mad, but alas, I knew that it couldn't be helped. Character death is a necessity for a plot to move forward (as well as for a character to develop)! Yes guys, I _am_ foreshadowing something, get excited 83**


	3. Results

**Finally, a fight scene (it's small though o-o)! Yay~ *applauds* lol, anyway, I continue to smile as I hear people express interest in my fanfic and compliment my writing (sorta kinda, lulz). I'm blushing you guys, seriously! X3 I bet all of you would be surprised to hear how long part of this story has been lying around on my computer (if you asked one of my best friends, she'd huff and tell you in an exaggerated voice how long ^^'''). I was sick all of last week, and when I wasn't asleep, I, at long last, decided to start uploading my story. Remember, if you guys ever see plot-holes or grammar mistakes (that don't belong), I would love it if y'all told me about them. Enjoy~!**

**As always, I, Medley (or BeastMedley, whichever you prefer) **do not lay claim to any of Kubo Tite's characters from Bleach, nor do I take any credit for events found within this fanfiction that are similar to those that have happened within the anime and/or manga of Bleach.

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In not even a few moments, Rukia found herself thrown to the floor. She was shocked for an instant before taking action. Grimmjow, with the agility of a cat, had turned his body sideways and had thrown his knife straight at Ichigo's neck. The orange-head, predicting this, flung Rukia to the ground the moment Grimmjow let go of the knife. Catching the knife between his fingers, Ichigo skillfully flipped the knife blade side up. "**Run**."

Rukia moved after hearing Ichigo's command before the young man launched himself towards the enemy. However, she didn't go to the door but to Kaien's side. She shook him by one of his shoulders and repeatedly said his name. He was still alive, but he was fading. He needed to stay awake. He needed to get out of here with her. He couldn't die.

Ichigo mentally cursed himself as he and Grimmjow clashed. The stupid brat was still in the room. Did she not fucking get that they were on the brink of death? Or 'near' the brink of death. Delivering kicks and punches, both highly-trained men focused on nothing else as they blocked each other's blows. Ichigo then smashed Grimmjow in the face before delivering the blue-haired assassin a deep stab wound in the leg. As his enemy crumpled to the ground with a yowl, Ichigo quickly turned towards the door and scooped Rukia up as they made their exit. She fought him of course, yelling insults and pounding his back demanding to be let go. He ignored her for a few seconds, but as he sprinted down the hospital hallway, he realized he desperately wanted to shut her up.

Grimmjow started to laugh as he studied his newly made wound. To be injured with his own knife…how classic. When doctors along with nurses ran in to see what happened, Grimmjow, his sadistic grin gone, lamented about how everyone in the room was attacked by a crazed psychopath, who had also kidnapped a young girl. As people sprang into action and coppers were called to follow the perpetrator, no one happened to see Grimmjow's twisted smile. He was going to win this game, and surely deal the final blow to Kurosaki Ichigo himself.

Between Rukia's constant shouting and people's frightened looks, Ichigo managed to deduce the best course of action they needed to take. Get out of the hospital and not get followed. Elevator? Stairs? Hostage scare? No, he had something better. Something nobody would expect.

"What the hell are you doing? The police will help us! We are the victims here! Why are you running around like a freaking moron you stupid strawberry?" Ichigo rolled his eyes at Rukia's comment.

"Are you dumb or somethin'? Grimmjow obviously told them that I was trying to kill Byakuya, Kaien and him. He also prolly said that I kidnapped you. Don't you see were friggin' being followed dumbass?" She hit him over the head, to which he growled as he ran over to the emergency stairwell door, slammed it open, and darted down the stairs.

"And how the hell am I supposed to see them with you running all over the place? And you don't know for- geez! Can't you run like a normal person?"

"It's fucking stairs ya bitch! What do you want me to do? Fly? Cuz I can surely make you have that wonderful experience!"

"O-Oi! They're behind us!" Ichigo looked over his shoulder to see two rent-a-cops gaining on them.

"Shit!" Crashing through the door to the third floor, Ichigo momentarily stumbled before regaining his balance and continuing to run. Rukia watched as the cops, slowly but surely, stayed on their tail. Would it really be that bad if they caught them? She'd be fine, but Ichigo…who knows what they'd do to him.

"How are we going to get-" Rukia's unsaid question was answered when Ichigo jumped and busted through a large window. Rukia screamed as she clutched onto him for dear life. But to her surprise, Ichigo landed on the ground, taking only a second to absorb the shock before fleeting off into the night. "F-Fool! Are you crazy? You could have killed **_us_**! How did you withstand that fall anyway?"

Even after running at such a high speed for a long amount of time, Ichigo only then began to pant. He smirked as he looked up at Rukia out of the corner of his eye. "Believe me midget, it took a lot of training and sk- _Ow_. The fuck is your problem?"

"Don't call me midget you fool! I can't help that you're as tall as a damn tree!"

"Why you- Shit!" Ichigo cursed as he dodged an oncoming honking car as he made his way across the street. Thankfully, his sedan wasn't parked too far away from the hospital.

"Ever hear of a parking garage?"

"You should thank your sorry ass that I didn't park in the damn parking garage." Slowing down to a brisk walk, Ichigo went towards a dark-colored Toyota Corolla, pulled out a pair of keys, and unlocked the doors with a press of a button. Rukia looked quizzically at the car. For some reason she expected it to be a lot snazzier.

Opening the driver's door, Ichigo tossed Rukia into the other front seat. She looked at him sourly as he climbed into the car and closed the door. Immediately turning to open her door, Ichigo didn't even look at her as he locked the doors with a loud click. She cursed under her breath. How come there was no 'lock' or 'unlock' button on her side of the car? "You're not getting out of this one midget, so don't even bother. Just go with it." She glared at him out of the corner of her eye as he started the engine and adjusted his mirrors. Nobody had seen them enter the car.

"Why can't you just let me go? We got out, so we should be in the clear. I don't see why you can't go on your merry way without me." Turning out of the spot and heading down the street at a steady speed, Ichigo wasn't giving Rukia any signs that he was listening.

"Oi, are you listening to me?" She continued to glare at him while he watched the road. Rukia looked ahead to see the light turning red, to which Ichigo slowed the car down to a stop. She turned her head back to him, her arms crossed.

"If I let you go, you're screwed. Even if you think you can hide somewhere and not be found, yer wrong. They'll find you. They find everybody." The light turned green after a few seconds.

"I'm not the criminal here."

"Aho…don't you get it? The police aren't your problem. The hitmen are."

"You mean that guy Grimmjow?"

"No, I mean the organization. Remember, Grimmjow is just a foot soldier. They'll send bigger fish to make sure you're dead, and that you'll stay that way." Rukia's muscles tightened when hearing this. All of it made sense, and she knew, in her heart, that if she went back to Byakuya, they would both surely die.

"Does Ni-sama have a-"

"Chance? Better than yours. Better if you stay away from him. The organization knows he doesn't know anythin'. You're their problem now." Their ears perked up as they heard sirens in the distance.

"Along with you." Rukia noticed Ichigo's hands grip the steering wheel tighter. She also saw that he was clenching his jaw. "But I'm wondering…why are you doing this? You could have left me for dead. Why go through all this? You were supposed to kill me anyway right? You could have left Grimmjow to do the dirty work."

"…because I'm not a cold-hearted bastard, that's why. Believe it or not, Rukia, I don't kill for the hell of it. I kill those I think deserve to be taught a lesson. I'm not like Grimmjow. I don't kill for sport. I kill because I need to survive." Ichigo turned to the right as Rukia looked out the visibly clean window in thought. She took some comfort in knowing that he sounded sincere, even if his words held none or some deeper meaning.

"…I didn't ask you to save me though…"

"What? Didn't hear ya."

"I said you're an idiot."

"Oh I'm the idiot huh? Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm just the idiot who got us out of there, that's all."

"You're also the idiot who got us into this mess in the first place. But yes, you did get us out of the hospital, but now what? Did you think ahead at all, genius? Or was the farthest you got jumping out that window?"

"Wow…you got a lot of nerve kid. Here I am, willing to save your sorry hide, and you just bitch at me for it. Now I know what to do next time yer up against another whack job."

"Are you stupid? I'm twenty years-old. I'm no child. And I can't help but criticize your stupidity. What do you want me to do? Congratulate you on being able to land like a cat after blasting out of a freaking window? Yeah, congrats Ichigo. I'm so glad you have some sort of skill that you can use."

"Ya damn bitch. I'm beginning to wish that I left you there crying over that poor sap's body."

"Kaien isn't dead."

"Your point?"

"He can't be dead."

"Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" He turned to look at her, only to be greeted with smoldering eyes.

"Just shut up and drive."

"Whatever you say midget."

"I already told you, don't call me midget." Rukia reached over and punched him in the shoulder, making Ichigo swerve the car a little bit.

"You- _fuck_! What the hell is wrong with you? Never hit the driver, _ever_." Ichigo 'tsked' as he saw Rukia settle into her seat with a small triumphant smile, which disappeared in almost a flash. What was going to happen to her now? Her whole life was basically in ruins, but Ichigo was right, she could have been left for dead.

Minutes passed as Ichigo continued to drive. He looked at Rukia every so often without taking his eyes off the road. Why was she being so damn quiet now? Was it something he said? Well…he _was_ trying to kill her and her brother earlier, so she had every right to be angry…but he did save her after all.

"Oi, midget, you all right?" Rukia didn't seem to be paying attention as she sat slumped in her seat, her eyes lost on the moving objects outside the car. "Oi! You in there?"

She had nobody to call, nowhere to go. They'd probably be waiting at her house, or at least have someone watching it. She didn't have much money on her. They could most likely monitor credit cards if they wanted too…

"Rukia."

"Hhm?"

"Finally you answer. Thought maybe you miraculously went mute."

"Hm."

"I don't know what's better. Your annoying babble, or your dumbass animal grunts."

"Hhm."

"Goddammit woman…look, to answer the big unanswered question of where we're goin'," Rukia turned her head towards him, her arms still crossed. "We're going ta my place."

"Can't they track us there?"

"Believe it or not, I got multiple places. Some of them they don't even know 'bout."

"You must make a lot of money with your _job_."

"Can it. It's at least better than what your brother did."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Rukia straightened up in her seat as she glared daggers into Ichigo.

"My brother was an honest man. As far as I know, he's done nothing wrong."

"Che, which is what he wanted you to know, nothing."

"You bastard."

"I'm just saying Rukia, yer brother isn't as saintly as you think. He has ties everywhere, even in the darkest of places. Sure he didn't tell you, but why would he?"

"Well he said that I'd be in charge of the company one day," Ichigo turned his head to give Rukia one of those quick 'oh really?' looks. His look only made Rukia scrunch up her face in confusion. "I still don't understand your point. He told me specifically that I'd run the company in due time, plus he wanted me to work at the company right after I got out of college."

"So he was even against graduate school too huh?" Rukia clenched her teeth at his biting remark. If he wasn't driving, she would have slapped him.

"Ni-sama was strictly a businessman."

"Uh-huh."

"The corporation always came first."

"Don't have the slightest doubts."

"Even when things got tough, Ni-sama pulled through. He always-"

"Hm?" Ichigo observed Rukia's slow realization out of the corner of his eye.

"So you're saying, that…when things got bad…Ni-sama…"

"Precisely."

"No, absolutely not. He wouldn't. He couldn't!" Rukia turned her body in her seat to fully face Ichigo. Her eyes pleaded with him to say that it wasn't true, but Ichigo's hard-set expression proved otherwise.

"That's what I've heard, plus it's what my employer told me."

"What if he was lying?"

"He wasn't."

"How can you be so sure? Everyone lies."

"Believe me, he wasn't."

"I don't see why I should beli-"

"Look, Rukia, you don't know me, and I don't know you, but I'm telling you, I know he wasn't lying. Think of it as my sixth-sense. I know when a person's lying."

"So you're saying that you've been trained to tell when a person's lying?" Ichigo sighed exasperatedly before turning down a lowly lit street.

"Yeah, sure. You could say that." Ichigo maneuvered the car into the entrance of a parking garage specifically for people in the group of apartment buildings towering above them. Rukia leaned forward as she watched the tall structures disappear from sight. Slowing to a stop, Ichigo opened his window to lean out and punch in the access code. When the led light on the machine turned green and gave a beep, the arm blocking the car's path lifted up. Rolling forward, Ichigo proceeded to direct the car to the second floor, leaving Rukia to look around nonchalantly at the parked cars. Rukia had noticed the night watchman in the booth facing her side of the car throw them a smile after Ichigo gave him a slight nod.

"So we'll be safe here?" Ichigo went up to the next floor as Rukia looked at him with a blank expression on her face.

"Yeah, we're safe here." Finding a spot close to the elevators and tucked in-between two dark colored cars, Ichigo parked his sedan with ease. Turning off the ignition, Ichigo kept the key in as he turned his head to look at Rukia, who was naturally looking back at him. "No funny business, right?"

"Right."

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**I hope my IchiRuki banter was decent you lovable IchiRuki and Bleach fans! They haven't reached the sexual tension level yet, but they're getting there. Just you wait guys, y'all will be seeing it soon enough. ^w^**

**Also, thanks is in order to **Luvbleach** and **Alyssa**; I hope you do keep an eye on this one man *slaps inner author for being rude* and Alyssa****, I was touched by your review. I never noticed how I wrote Rukia until you mentioned it, and I'm sincerely glad that you like the fanfic. I also can't help but want Ichigo ta kick Grimmjow's ass, those silly sexy men... *coughs* anywho, sorry about the weird beginning of the car scene ^^''' I am prepared ta change it if the possibility of Ichigo having the buttons removed/covered is outrageously bizarre.**

**Until next time fellow readers and/or writers! ~Medley~  
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